Holy Crap! It didn't look that long LOL

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For the first time I have seen "History" at close quarters,and I know that its actual process is very different from what is presented to Posterity. - WWI General Max Hoffman.

I wasn't asking a question if that is what you thought. It was part of the title for the website that was linked below.
Switzerland's Neutrality

Did Switzerland prolong World War II?

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For the first time I have seen "History" at close quarters,and I know that its actual process is very different from what is presented to Posterity. - WWI General Max Hoffman.

interesting thread!

here some more:

Schweizer Reduit

http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2007/05/07/109-the-schweizer-reduit-hard-core-switzerland/

One of the most famous quotes about Switzerland –probably annoying the hell out of the natives by now – is the closing line of the film ‘The Third Man’:

“In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder, bloodshed – but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, 500 years of democracy and peace. And what did they produce? The cuckoo clock.”

The line was not in Graham Greene’s original script and was inserted by Orson Welles, who himself plays Harry Lime, the character making the remark. Welles did not invent this witticism, stealing it from Mussolini. And Mussolini was wrong on several counts. For one, the Swiss did not invent the cuckoo clock – that honour should go to the artisans of the Black Forest. And Switzerland wasn’t always peaceful, experiencing its share of civil strife. In fact, Swiss mercenaries had such a reputation for efficiency in battle that the Papal Guard to this day still is composed solely of (Roman catholic) Swiss men.
The Swiss have always prided themselves on their military prowess, which allowed them to remain neutral throughout most of Europe’s wars. Of course, the indomitable alpine terrain helped too: the mountains dominating (most of the southern part of) the country make it very difficult for any would-be conqueror to subdue the locals, who know every nook and cranny of it.
In the Second World War, the Swiss, completely surrounded by fascist forces (in fact, the only Axis-free country in continental Europe – except for that other Swiss-guarded European state, the Vatican), took precautions to ensure national survival in case of an Axis attack. They drew up plans for a Swiss National Redoubt, alternately called ‘Réduit suisse’ in French, and ‘Schweizer Réduit’ or ‘Alpenfestung’ in German.
The ‘Schweizer Réduit’ was similar in concept to other fortification chains constructed at that time in Europe: the Maginot-line by the French, the Siegfried-line by the Germans and others by the Czechoslovaks, Belgians and Dutch in the nineteen thirties. Those giant fortifications seem to prove the adage that armies are forever planning to fight the previous war: the chains of forts anticipate a static conflict such as the First World War and not the extremely mobile ‘Blitzkrieg’ that would be the hallmark of German conquests in Europe.
The Swiss national defence plan consisted of three stages: reinforcing the borders with new forts, preparing for a ‘Verzörgerungskrieg’ (delaying war) in the relatively level middle of the country and establishing an impregnable zone, the Réduit proper, in the high Alps. If necessary, roads and bridges would be destroyed to secure the Réduit. From this zone, Swiss sovereignty would have to be reestablished in occupied Switzerland after the war.
After the capitulation of France on July 12, 1940, Switzerland was entirely surrounded by Axis forces, and started finalising the Réduit. Impressed by the German Balkan campaign of April 1941, in which the Wehrmacht conquered Yugoslavia and Greece in a mere 23 days, the Swiss army high command further reinforced the Réduit by concentrating even more troops in it – effectively giving up the ‘Mittelland’, the economically and demographically most important lower-lying areas of central Switzerland.
By 1945, the Réduit’s construction had cost the equivalent of 406 million of today’s euros. Generally known to cover the most mountainous quarter of the territory (except most of the cantons of Graubünden and Tessin/Ticino), the exact borders of the Réduit remained a military secret until the mid-1990s.
The secrecy surrounding the Swiss alpine refuge gave rise to many rumours and legends, like the story about a top-secret military airstrip built into the mountainface, with an opening in the rock big enough to allow fighterplanes to exit and enter. Another story maintains mount Gotthard is so riddled with tunnels (like the proverbial Swiss cheese) that one could enter at Erstfeld in the north and emerge at Bodio in the south.
The Swiss national redoubt has contributed to the national self-image of Switzerland as a small, bravely defended island of peace amidst a sea of threats and wars. Post-1945, this national myth helped sustain the military doctrine of fortification as national defence against the communist threat. Yet the Réduit-strategy has also been criticised recently, as a capitulation to the Reich, sacrificing the big cities and large parts of the population to a German invasion.

To me neutrality means not helping or hindering a side or country....Switzerland did not do this...they had a direct role in the economy, and purchases, along with rail passage for the third reich...to bear a direct and more at home bearing...in Robert Baer novel/biography sleeping with the enemy...he states for fact that the Saudi Royal family paid, funded, allowed 14 of the 16 hijacker terrorist on 9/11 direct funding...for 2 years money was placed through ATM machines, by the Saudi Royals in the country of Qatar and continued to do so, which allowed the taking of aviation lessons, rent, board,shelter...yet any discussions as to the Saudi born highjackers is not allowed to be questioned or blame laid....is this being neutral???Should Saudi Arabia be held accountable??? The answer must be no, if past pressidence(SP?) by countries like switzerland, sweden, spain are used, then Saudi Arabia bears no blame or burden...albeit the 2300 whom fell within the twin towers might decide otherwise...

sorry for going off topic, but because a country has a head in the sand policy doesn't make it neutral, as did Saudi Arabia funding Al Qadea directly through Qatar ATM'S

bf109 Emil

The Blue Devil; Vol. 2, No. 24; 28 Nov 1946; pp 1,6.

150 88th Div. Men Enter Switz. As Rescue Party

All Passengers Survive Plane Crash;
Swiss Troops Effect Rescue

by Hy Crandell

Troops of the 88th Division made history last week when, with their efforts to help rescue the marooned occupants of a C-53 plane, they became the first foreign military troops to enter Switzerland as a unit, in several centuries. This is mainly due to the cooperation, mutual trust and good will between the United States and Switzerland. By allowing over 150 American troops to enter their country the Swiss showed that their is traditional trust and friendship between two of the oldest democracies in the world.
Much credit is due the Swiss troops for their courageous work in rescuing the survivors of the wrecked plane. The 88th Division troops had expected to accomplish that job, but after arriving learned that a Swiss rescue party was already in operation. The American troops, which came largely from the 1st Bn., 351st Inf., left Udine on 21 November at 1900 hours, accompanied by your "Blue Devil" reporter. After a train trip of over 24 hours they arrived in Interlaken, Switzerland. From Interlaken a picked number of men went by vehicle to Meiringen where they stayed all day on 23 November. While going back to Interlaken that night an accident occurred. A "weasel" ran through a fence and knocked down a tree. Two men suffered slight lacerations on the scalp. The men were Pfc Junior Rickman of Nashville, Tenn. and Pfc Earl Funderburg of Decatur, Tenn. Both men were from Regt'l Hq., 351st Inf.
It was thought miraculous that all the passengers of the plane were alive and well. Due to the cold and snow and lack of food it was expected that only a few of the stronger ones would survive. From the time the plane crashed on Tuesday afternoon until food was dropped on Friday night the survivors rationed themselves to half of a chocolate bar and a quarter of a bun a day. It was sheer luck that they had bought their PX rations before leaving Munich.
It was announced the following day by Brig. Gen. Ralph Tate, Deputy Commanding General of USFA [US Forces Austria], whose wife was on the plane and whose son piloted it, that the survivors would be brought down from the mountain by a small ski plane. Brig. Gen Snavely, Chief of air Division of USFA, flew to the top of the mountain earlier that morning so that he could be with his wife who was also on board.
The first plane came into the airport near Meiringen at 1100 hours on 24 November. It brought Brig. Gen Loyal M. Haynes. He was carried by stretcher to the ambulance and then taken to the hospital train. The second plane landed at 1210 hours. On it was Pvt. Wayne G. Folsom who was the engineer on the plane. He had a broken leg. The third plane came in at 1318 hours. From it walked Col. William C. McMahon and Mrs. Marguerite L. Tate. Both looked very happy to be on the ground once more. From the fourth plane, which landed at 1415 hours, walked Mrs. Loyal M. Haynes and Sgt. Lewis Hill. Sergeant Hill was the radio operator who kept the signals going after the crash. Mrs William C. McMahon and her daughter Alice came off the fifth plane which landed at 1445 hours. On the sixth plane (15 minutes later) General Snavely and his wife were passengers. Lt. Irving Mathews, the co-pilot, and Mr. George Harvey, a civilian working for the Army, landed in the seventh plane at 1555 hours. Mr. Harvey was not known to be on the plane. True to the spirit of the captain of his ship, Capt. Ralph Tate Jr. was the last to leave and landed at 1630 hours. With the arrival of his son, General Tate said, "This is the happiest day of my life. I've got my wife and son back.
Before the troops of the 88th left for Switzerland, a party of 18 men set out for Milan in the direction which had previously been given in hopes of finding the wreckage. Milan was the point from which communications were carried through to Italy. It was here also that many supplies were furnished to the 88th troops. Much credit should go to the 88th Quartermaster for the splendid job they did in rushing supplies and equipment for the rescue party. Special clothes and equipment were supplied the troops who participated in the expedition to Switzerland.

US 88th Inf. Div. Troops Enter Switzerland

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For the first time I have seen "History" at close quarters,and I know that its actual process is very different from what is presented to Posterity. - WWI General Max Hoffman.

Heres a web site discussing the susposed German plans for attacking Switzerland.

http://www.schweiz1940.ch/tannen40-e...2-planning.htm

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